Bookings fell 3 percent from October to $720.4 million, while
billings tumbled 7.5 percent to $911.9 million, according to the
sector's industry trade group SEMI. The figures are 26 and 22
percent lower than those for the November 2011.

The SEMI book-to-bill is a ratio of three-month moving averages of
worldwide bookings and billings for North American-based
semiconductor equipment manufacturers.

"Economic headwinds, higher chip inventory levels, and soft PC
demand are among the factors tempering chip makers’ investment in
additional manufacturing capacity," said Denny McGuirk, president
and CEO of SEMI. "Softening in the market for new
semiconductor manufacturing equipment has persisted through the
second half of 2012 and the November equipment billings are at a
three-year low."